MORRIS, Minn.: Mac Reykdal (Washburn, Wis./Washburn) scored a career-high 27 points on 10-for-13 shooting, including 7-of-9 from 3-point range, but Minnesota Morris used a 7-0 run over 2:13 in the second half to break open a tight game and top the UW-Superior men's basketball team, 84-77, on Saturday.
The Yellowjackets led, 69-68, when
Montroy Scott (Fridley, Minn./Columbia Heights) knocked down a pair of free throws with 7:35 remaining to give UWS its last of nine different leads in the game, but the Cougars got five points from Noah Grove and two from Jeffrey Halverson to take a decisive 77-71 lead with 4:02 to play.
Reykdal hit a jumper on the next possession to get the 'Jackets to within four points at 77-73, but the Cougars answered with the next four and didn't look back, putting game away with three more from the foul line in the final minute for the win.
Reykdal added four steals and two assists, while Scott came off the bench for the first time this season to contribute 20 points, seven assists and six rebounds.
Adam Arroyo (St. Paul, Minn./St. Croix Lutheran Academy) earned his first collegiate start, scoring 11 points in 19 minutes for UWS, which shot 48.3 percent for the game, including 53.6 percent in the second half.
The Yellowjackets led by three, 22-19, with 11:04 remaining in the first half and were able to hang tough through a Minnesota Morris spurt that helped the Cougars out to a 33-25 advantage with 4:36 remaining in the period. Kenneth Riley hit a 3-pointer, assisted by Grove, for UMM's largest lead of the half, but the 'Jackets chipped away, scoring 10 of the game's next 12 points to pull even for a fifth time on consecutive treys by Reykdal and
John Pioro (Proctor, Minn./Proctor), respectively.
The Cougars carried a 37-36 lead into halftime.
UWS gained its first lead of the second half when Pioro hit a jumper off of a Reykdal steal for a 53-52 edge with 13:35 remaining. The teams traded control of the game until the decisive run midway through the half that gave the Cougars the upper hand for good.
All five UMM starters landed in double figures, paced by James Pendleton, with 23 points on 8-of-12 shooting.
The Yellowjackets (1-8, 0-2 UMAC) next host Northland Wednesday at 7:15 p.m., at Metz Mortorelli Gym.
